I want to visit a mate at the PA hospital today. I live so close that I wouldn't break a sweat riding there. I rang them to find out where the bike rack is so I don't have to chuck laps of the joint to find it.

To my amazement I am told they don't have one. If this is true and I am not just speaking to someone who doesn't know better, then this is just too pathetic for words. If there actually is one, I'd be happy to hear from someone who knows more about the place than the switch operator and security.

This is either just a pathetic lack of facility or a pathetic lack of knowledge. Either way, pathetic it is.

There might also be bicycle racks at the busway station (O'Keefe street, from memory?). All of these options appear to be a bit of a walk from the hospital itself, but might be better than nothing.

I hope this helps.

Max

One of the best things about bicycle commuting is that it can mitigate the displeasure of having to go to work. - BikeSnobNYCCycling is sometimes like bobbing for apples in a bucket full of dicks. - SydGuy

The first link shows a rack opposite the hospital on Ipswich Rd on the footpath outside the newsagent. I think the secure parking is the staff bike cage. They tell me the magnificent OnOne Inbred is not welcome in there. I will keep this a secret from it incase it's feelings are hurt.

I should make my wife happy and buy an old clunker for these types of missions. Or just ride hers, LOL.

That is just ridiculous... whether its the actual absence or the Information desk being clueless.

If it turns out to be true that there are no bike racks in a secure and visible location on site, a polite but firm letter to your State health minister should stir up more of a response. I'd also write separately to whichever minister is reponsible for promoting cycling in your State.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. -- Galatians 6:9 ESV

Sorry to see this thread head south (pun very much intended) so quickly. I'm certainly not wasting my time with ministers.

Thanks Crittsky. I'll be glad to hear that it's a matter of information from staff rather than lack of facility. I'd say your mates are well accomodated for sure. It's just a question of visitors at this point.

In the meantime, it's looking like the 209 from Coorparoo. The 8 minutes shouldn't cause me too much grief. As I typed that it started raining. Maybe I'll phone him again, LOL.

To be fair, theres that much construction going on there ATM wHere would they put them? Someone used to chain theirs up outside Emergency out of the way where that section is quieter. It depends what ward your mate is in I guess.The QE2 isnt any better either

Crittski wrote:Just settle down guys, no need to send letters to ministers, I happen to know several keen cyclists in executive positions at the PAH, so I will try to get some info on what is available.

The health minister of QLD would do nothing anyway as he is useless. Just look at the spin he has done on the pay problems for health staff earlier this year when they change computer programs.

heay wrote:The health minister of QLD would do nothing anyway as he is useless. Just look at the spin he has done on the pay problems for health staff earlier this year when they change computer programs.

My thoughts as well....the minister should be sacked! He wouldn't have lasted all this time if he was working in the private sector.

Well the news isn't rosey, there isn't anything secure, so best bet would be to find a pole/fence that is not so out of the way that no-one would see Mr Boltcutters coming along to pinch it, but not so close to the front door access ways that security will have a problem with it. Long term, they want the same facility that RBWH has.

I work at the supermarket across the road and during the dark hours theft is considered a problem; three of the staff who commute to work by bike bring theirs into the store itself and stuff it wherever is out of the way and won't get squashed. Which turns out to be the disabled toilets...

One girl leaves hers outside, chained to a pipe, and her bike's yet to go missing. I don't know if bike theft's a major problem in that area; I've only heard troubles with cars left outside by nightfillers, and none regarding day staff.

I'm starting to think I shouldn't have bothered with this thread, as no good could have come from it. It's more or less just as a whinge, as I don't know what the solution is. I live in a fairly central location and it would be nice to make even small trips like this by bike, but it's not as if it caused me a great amount of inconvenience.

Anyway, hopefully bicycles will figure more in the plans of future goverment buildings than they do now.

Time to ride more and post less, even in these trouble times of rain and more rain.

MountGower wrote:I'm starting to think I shouldn't have bothered with this thread, as no good could have come from it. It's more or less just as a whinge, as I don't know what the solution is. I live in a fairly central location and it would be nice to make even small trips like this by bike, but it's not as if it caused me a great amount of inconvenience.

Anyway, hopefully bicycles will figure more in the plans of future goverment buildings than they do now.

Time to ride more and post less, even in these trouble times of rain and more rain.

There is nothing wrong with a good thread whine

I've pretty much resigned myself to bicycles not really being a mainstream transport mode until there are financial drivers for it. IE a bus fare to the CBD is $10 a day return (2013) and or oil is knocking on $2.5/$3.0 a litre. I guess the time is close though. Problem is everyone is so damn soft now.

I think that the other point that this thread makes for me is the need to include the planning for the infrastructure that makes cycling for transport realistic for more than the hard core. The problem with this particular situation is that secure cycling infrastructure is competing with things like emergency beds and the cardiac surgical program. The integrated transport plan for the hospital and surrounds needs to include cycling as an option as well as private car, bus, train - not just for the hospital, but for other important destinations as well more broadly. Hopefully this is something that will happen over time when there are so many so passionate about alternative transport.

Mountgower, this is a good thread - if we stop asking questions about where and how we can ride places, then cycling won't grow as fast. Our city isn't perfect, but man, it is still a pretty good place to live, and these things take time to go from groundswell of support, planning, funding, construction.

Crittski wrote:Mountgower, this is a good thread - if we stop asking questions about where and how we can ride places, then cycling won't grow as fast. Our city isn't perfect, but man, it is still a pretty good place to live, and these things take time to go from groundswell of support, planning, funding, construction.

Hi

Fair point but if we don't raise our concerns politely as suggested with the relevant Minister(s) and/or Directors of Departments etc we cannot expect improvements. How can they do something about it if they are not told? Whining here is one thing; doing something constructive as suggested by trailbumby is another.

The BTC dont do anything other than ride on which ever pigs back is most convenient.As for the current Qld government, if they dont have plans to include cycling facilities at End of Point then its pointless expecting them to do so now. We will get better results from approaching the opposition before the election which surely they cant loose from here

Last edited by The Womble on Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Crittski wrote:Mountgower, this is a good thread - if we stop asking questions about where and how we can ride places, then cycling won't grow as fast. Our city isn't perfect, but man, it is still a pretty good place to live, and these things take time to go from groundswell of support, planning, funding, construction.

Hi

Fair point but if we don't raise our concerns politely as suggested with the relevant Minister(s) and/or Directors of Departments etc we cannot expect improvements. How can they do something about it if they are not told? Whining here is one thing; doing something constructive as suggested by trailbumby is another.

I suggested that it wasn't worth it to write to the minister for this particular cyclist's issue, mostly because I felt sure that I could get a sensible answer quickly from someone at the top, but if you read my subsequent post I promote the concept of advocacy in order for the planning for cycling infrastructure to enter into the fund holders decision making.

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